Method of hot forming metallic articles



Dec. 27, 1960 H. w. GRONEMEYER 2,965,960

METHOD OF HOT FORMING METALLIC ARTICLES Filed March 25. 1957 8Sheets-Sheet 1 w VA INVENTOR.

HERBERT W GRONEMEVER BY WKM ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960' H. w. GRONEMEYER2,965,960

METHOD OF HOT FORMING METALLIC ARTICLES I Filed March 25, 1957 sSheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

r HERBERT W. GRONEMEVER W/9PM A 7' TORNEV Dec. 27, 1960 H. w. GRONEMEYER2,965,960

METHOD 0? HOT FORMING METALLIC ARTICLES Filed Margh 25, 1957 8Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. HERBER T M. GRONEMEVER aywozfiwzt A TTOR/VEVDec. 27, 1960 H. w. GRONEMEYER 2,965,960

I METHOD OF HOT FORMING METALLIC ARTICLES FiledMarch 25, 1957 8Sheets-Sheet 4 &

IN {752. .1 I WWWWR HERBERT W GRONEMEYER.

BY WKBM A TTORNEV H. w. GRONEMEYER METHOD OF HOT FORMING METALLICARTICLES Filed March 25. 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

HE/PBER r w. GRO/VEMEYER ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960 H, w. GRONEMEYER2,965,960

METHOD OF HOT FORMING METALLIC ARTICLES Filed March 25, 1957 v 8Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VEN TOR.

HERBERT W. GRONEMEVER BY yad $7M ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960 O H. w.GRONEMEYER 2,965,960

METHOD OF HOT FORMING METALLIC ARTICLES Filed March 25, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

HERBERT W. GRONEMEVER BY weaaa ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960 H, w. GRONEMEYER2,965,960

METHOD OF HOT FORMING METALLIC ARTICLES Filed March 25, 1957 8Sheets-Sheet 8 IN V EN TOR.

HERBERT W GRONEMEVER BYWFW ATTORNEY ed States Patent METHOD OF HOTFORMING METALLIC ARTICLES Herbert W. Gronemeyer, Kansas City, Mo.,assignor to Armco Steel Corporation, a corporation of Qhio Filed Mar.25, 1957, 'Ser. No. 648,188

5 Claims. (Cl. 29-417) My invention relates to a method of hot formingmetallic articles.

It is. a particular purpose of my invention to provide a new andimproved method of making scale free metallic articles by a hot forgingmethod. In forming articles 'by a hot forging method from rod orbar-like metal stock, the heating of the stock to a forging heat toprovide for such plasticity thereof that the same can be forged,

causes the formation of scale on the stock. It is highly desirable toremove the scale from the stock before introforging machine such as isnow used for forging articles from slugs sheared from rod-like members,by the addition of only simple apparatus thereto, that can be easilyapplied to a machine of this character.

In order to remove the scale from the heated stock in plastic conditionsuitable for forging and have the stock free from scale when the forgingoperation, or operations, take place, it is necessary that the scale beremoved while the stock is still in a plastic condition suitable forforging, and the forging operation be carried out without any reheatingof the blank to be forged. Where a slug is cut or sheared from rod-likeor similar stock that has been heated to a forging heat and scale isremoved therefrom after the shearing off of the slug, rather complexapparatus is required in order to handle the slug during the scaleremoval and forging operations. By the use of my improved method allcomplex handling apparatus, that is required for the removal of scalefrom a slug and forging the de-scaled slug, is eliminated. This isaccomplished by removing the scale from a suitable length of the stockat one end portion of the stock, which is ordinarily of great length, asit may be supplied to the machine in coils or in a similar manner. Theamount of said stock extending from said end portion, that has the scaleremoved therefrom, is definitely determined by my improved method andall of the de-scaled portion thereof is sheared from the remainder ofthe stock after it has been de-scaled and is immediately move to theforging dies in a manner that is well known and is substantiallystandardized, as respects slugs cut off from stock for use as blanks instandard forging machines in which no de-scaling of the stock isrequired, such as machines for forging grinding balls.

In carrying out my improved method, rod-like metal stock is heated to aplastic state suitable for forging, a predetermined length of an endportion of said stock is upset while it is in the heated plastic stateto crack the scale off the same, the upset portion of the stock isshaping of the slug is done before it cools below forging heat. Morespecifically, the stock is gripped at a predetermined distance from oneend thereof to provide a free portion of the stock of a predeterminedlength that extends from the gripped portionto the end adjacent which itis gripped, and this entire free or extending portion is upset while thestock is gripped by the gripping means, by an endwise pressure on theend of the free portion of the stock toward'the gripped portion toreduce the length thereof a predetermined amount, which results in anupset portion of a predetermined size, that is sheared oif to produce aslug of a predetermined size, that is immediately moved to the forgingdies to carry out the forging operation, or operations.

'In order to avoid dropping of the scale on any of the operating partsof the machine for producing the scale free slug, the gripping means isso constructed and arranged that the stock is held in a horizontalposition and is moved endwise horizontally through the gripping means toengage a movable abutment spaced a predetermined distance from thegripping means to measure off a predetermined length of the stock thatis to be used to form the article that is to be produced. After thestock is gripped by the gripping means, with a predetermined lengthextendingtherefrom to the abutment, which length comprises an unconfinedportion, which is referred to herein as a free portion, that liesbetween the gripped portoin and the abutment, the distance between theabutment andwthe gripped portion is reduced to upset the free portion.This is done while the stock is still in its plastic condition suitablefor carrying out a forging operation. After this free portion has beenupset, it is sheared off closely at the gripped portion thereof and theresulting slug is immediately moved to the forging dies and forged intothe desired shape.

means and forging dies partly broken away, the parts being in theposition that these assume before the stock has been fed lengthwisethrough the gripping means.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2, showing the position of the parts after the stock hasbeen moved through the gripping means into engagement with the plunger,but

before the gripping means has closed.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the position of the partsafter the gripping means has closed into stock gripping position and theplunger remains in its gauging position.

' Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. 'Fig. 8 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2, showing the gripping means in closed position and theplunger moved to its position of closest approach to the gripping means,with the slug formed between said gripping means and said plunger.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showingthe position of the partsafter the upset s'ug has b. en shea;ed olf and is being moved toward nutforming dies.

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line 11--11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the position of the partsfor delivery of the scale free slug to that is to be formed.

Fig. 13 is a section taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is aview similar to Fig. 2, showing the parts in the position which theyassume when the dies have completed the forging operation performedthereby on the slug, and

Fig. 15 is a section taken on the line 1515 of Fig. 14.

Referring in detail to the drawings, my improved method is carried outby means of a forging machine of the general character shown in Fig. 1of the drawings, which is of a typical standard make. Such a machine isprovided with a heavy frame 2% which is provided with suitable bearingsfor a main shaft 21, which is provided with a suitable driving pulley 22driven by any suitable means, as by means of a plurality of bets 23.Mounted on the shaft 21 is a suitable crank disk 24, on which a crankpin 25 is mounted for suitable adjustment toward and away from thecenter of rotation thereof so as to vary the throw of the crank as maybe desired. A connecting rod 26 extends from the crank pin 25 to aratchet mechanism 27, which is provided with a suitable pawl, or pawls,28 for driving the shaft on which the pinion 29 is mounted, in asuitable direction, an amount determined by the throw of the crank 24,intermittently, so as to rotate the gears 38, and thus the shafts 31intermittently in the same direct on, which is a direction such as torotate the feed rolls 32 and 33 in a direction to feed a bar-like member34 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. It is to beunderstood that this feeding mechanism is of a standard character andthat the gear 29 drives suitable gearing to rotate a pair of shafts,similar to the shafts 31, in the opposite direction thereto, to rotatefeed ro.ls below the feed rolls 32 and 33, paired therewith, in a properdirection to cooperate with the feed rolls 32 and 33 to feed the stock34 in the direction indicated.

A pair of grooved gripping members 35 and 36 is provided on the machine.The gripping member 35 is mounted in fixed position on the frame 20. Thecorresponding member 36, which constitutes the movable gripping jaw ofthe pair, is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement between a pair ofguides 37 provided on the frame 20, said movement being transversely ofthe direction of feed of the stock 34. In order to hold the jaw 36properly aligned with the jaw 35, a pair of guide ribs 38 is provided onthe frame, that engage in suitable guide grooves in the movable grippingjaw 36. Said movable gripping jaw is reciprocated between a position inwhich the gripping means is open, so that the stock can slidetherethrough, and a position in which it is in tight gripping engagementwith the stock so as to hold it against any endwise movement while theoperations carried out by the machine described below take place.

The reciprocating movements of the movable gripping jaw 36 are obtainedby means of a slide 39, which is guided in its sliding movements bymeans of the guide ribs .0 and the walls 41 of the slideway in the frameof the machine, said slide having a rod 42 pivotally connected therewithat one end, said rod being pivotally connected with the toggle links 43and 44, one of which is pivotally mounted at 45 on the frame and the 0her of which is pivoted on the slidable gripping jaw 36 at 46. The slideis provided with a suitable opening 47 therein, in which a pair ofrollers 48 and 49 is journaled, said rollers being engaged by a cam 50mounted on the shaft 21, which is of suitable shape to move the grippingjaw 36 toward and away from the jaw 35 and to hold said jaw 36 in stockgripping relation to the jaw 35 for a desired interval after havingmoved into gtip- 7 ping relation thereto. In the position of the partsshown in Fig. 1 the jaws 35 and 36 are separated so as to be in openposition to permit endwise movement of the stock through the same. Thetoggle mechanism only moves the jaw 36 a relatively short distance, butdue to the character of said toggle mechanism it firmly locks the jaw 36in cooperative gripping relation to the jaw 35 when in its alternativeposition.

A plunger 51 having a fiat end face 52 is mounted in a suitable mountingmember 53 provIded on a slide 54 that is mounted in a suitable slideway55 in the frame 20, said slideway being provided with guide ribs 56engaging suitable grooves 57 in the slide to assure its accurate slidingmovement toward and away from the gripping means 35 and 36. Said slideis provided with a suitable opening 58 therein that is provided withsuitable mounting means for rollers 59 that engage a cam 60 mounted onthe shaft 21 for moving said slide 54 and the plunger 51 in properlytimed relation with respect to the jaw 36.

The feeding means feeds the stock 34 through a suitable opening 61 inthe frame and through the gripping means 35 and 36 into engagement withthe end wall 52 of the plunger 51 when the jaws 35 and 36 are open, orin their separated position, such as shown in Fig. 1, the stock 34having engaged the end face 52 of the plunger 51 in the position of theparts shown in Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that thegr'pping jaw 35 has a groove 62 therein that has its axis extending inthe direction of feed of the stock 34 and that the movable gripping jaw36 has a similar groove 63 therein that is opposite the groove 62, saidgrooves being of such a curvature that these will firmly engage thestock 34 when the jaw 36 has moved into engagement with the jaw 35.

The stationary gripping member 35 is provided with a stationary shearblade 64, which is provided with a shearing edge portion 65 thatcooperates with a cooperating shearing edge 66 on a movable shear blade67 that is mounted on a slide 68. The slide 68 is mounted betweensuitable guides 69 in the frame 20 and suitable guide ribs 70 areprovided, cooperating with grooves in the slide to guide it so that theshear blade 67 will be properly positioned relative to the shear blade64. Said slide 68 is moved between its various positions by means of aslide 71 mounted between guideways 72 having guide ribs 73, operating ingrooves in the slide 71, provided on the frame 20. Said slide has anopening 74 therein, in which a pair of rollers 75 is mounted forrotation, said rollers engaging a cam 76 mounted on the shaft 21. Aconnecting rod 77 is pivotally connected with the slide at one endthereof and with the short arm 73 of a bell crank lever pivoted on theframe at 79 and having an arm 80 thereon that has an angular end portion81 that is pivotally connected at 82 with the slide 68. The cam 76 is ofsuch a character that the slide 68 is moved from a position in which itis spaced to the right of the stationary shear blade, as viewed in Fig.1, into shearing engagement with said stationary shear blade 64, andpast the position at which complete shearing takes place, beyond theshear blade 64 into a position to deliver the sheared off slug toforming mechanism, in a manner to be described below, and is thenreturned to its position to the right of the shear blade 64, for arepetition of its movements to and through shearing position.

The slide 83 on which is mounted a forming punch 84, is mounted betweensuitable guides 85 in the frame 20 and suitable guide ribs 86 areprovided, cooperating with grooves in the slide 83 to guide it so thatthe forming punch 84 and other operating members carried thereby Wlll beguided into proper position with respect to cooperating parts of themachine. The shaft 20 is provided with an offset portion 87, that isconnected by means of crank arms 88 with said shaft, thus forming acrank shaft portion with which a pitman 89 is connected at one endthereof, the other end of the pitman 89 being mounted on a pivot pin 99mounted on the slide 83.

A forming die 91 having a cavity 92, having the same shape as the punch84, is mounted on the frame 20. When the slide 83 moves so that thepunch 84 approaches the die 91 the slug which has been moved to properposition between the punch 84 and a cavity 92 in the die 91 will beforced by the punch 84 into the cavity to form the shape desired by thecooperating punch 84 and die 91. In the drawings, the cavity is shown asbeing hexagonal and the punch as being hexagonal to form a hexagonal nutbody.

The means for moving the slug from the shearing dies to the forming dies84 and 91 is of a well known character used in forging machines of thecharacter shown in Fig. 1. The movement is accomplished by means of themovable shear blade 67 and what is commonly known as a jump finger 93,which is a fiat elongated member, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and otherfigures of the drawings, that has a hook shaped end portion 94 mountedon a pin 95 on an upstanding bracket 96 that is mounted in a well knownmanner on the frame 20. The finger 93 engages with one side of the slugthat is formed from the rod-like stock, as shown in Fig. 11, so as tohold the slug in the recess 97 in the movable shear blade 67 as theshear blade 67 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 9, in which theshearing action thereof begins, to the position shown in Fig. 13, whichis the position in which the slug is properly presented for formingbetween the punch 84 and the cooperating die member 91. The slide 68 isprovided with a slot 98 to permit the movement of the shear blade to theposition shown in Fig. 13, without interference with such movement bythe plunger 51, which extends across the path of movement of the slide68, as will be obvious from Fig. 1 of the drawings. The finger 93 isurged into engagement with the slug by means of a coil spring 99connected at its opposite ends with said finger 93 and the bracket 96and the movement of the finger 93 under the urging of the spring 99 islimited by a lug 101 projecting from the bracket 96. It will be notedthat when the finger 93 encounters the punch 84 it is forced upwardly tothe position shown in Fig. 15, where it will not in any manner interferewith the cooperative action of the dies 84 and 91.

In the form of machine shown, the nuts produced by the particularmachine shown are made in two forming operations, the first of which iscarried out by the cooperating dies 84 and 91. Means of a well knowncharacter is provided for ejecting the shape formed between the dies 84and 91 from the cavity 92 of the die and presenting it to the second setof dies that completes the forming of the nut. The ejecting means isshown as being provided with a shaft 101 that is mounted in suitablebearings 102 on the frame 20, which has mounted thereon to oscillatetherewith an upstanding arm 104 that has a forked upper end portionthereof in which the cross pin 105 on the ejector pin 103 is mounted. Itwill be obvious that as the shaft 101 is oscillated back and forth inits bearings the ejector rod 103 will move from the position shown inFig. 1 to a position to eject the article formed between the dies 84 and91 seated in the cavity 92 therefrom and that when the shaft 1011soscillated or rocked in the opposite direction the ejector pin 193 willmove back to the position thereof shown in Fig. 1. The oscillatingmovements of the shaft 101 are produced in a suitable manner, as bymeans of an eccentric 106, from which the rod 107 extends, which isprovided with a forked end 108, with which the depending arm 109 fixedon the shaft 101 to move therewith, is connected.

The shape that has been formed between the dies 84 and 91 and ejectedtherefrom is transferred, as it is ejected, by means of a transfer cage110, to the second set of dies shown in the form of machine illustratedin Fig. 1. The transfer cage 110 is moved back and forth between theposition shown in Fig. 1 thereof and the position opposite the die 91 bysuitable mechanism-such as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, comprising acam 111 on the shaft 20 engaged by a roller 112 on the link 113, whichis longitudinally slidably mounted in guide ears 114 provided on theframe 20, and which is pivotally connected with a bell crank lever 115that is pivot ally mounted on the frame 20 and has a link 116 connectedwith the arm thereof that is angularly related to the arm of the bellcrank lever to which the link 113 is connected, said link 116 connectingsaid bell crank lever with the transfer cage 110. A coil spring 117 ismounted between one of the gears 114 and a pin 118 projecting from therod-like member 113 to hold the roller 112 in engagement with thesurface of the cam111 so that the roller 112 following the cam 111 willcause such movements of the above referred to means connecting themember 113 with the cage 110 that the cage will move in properly timedrelation with the other operating 1 mechanism to receive a formed memberfrom the cavity 92 of the die 91 after the plunger 84 has moved awaytherefrom and will transfer it to the other set of dies shown in Fig. 1,which will now be described.

In the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing's the slide 83is provided With a piercing die 119, which engages with the articleformed between the dies 91 and 84 held by the cage 110, so as to make anopening therethrough, the material punched out, being forced into thepassage 121 in the die from which it passes to a discharge opening 122in the frame 20. It will be obvious that in' the operation of themachine shown in Fig. 1 the perforating punch die 119 will move intoposition to operate on the previously formed article mounted in the cage1'10 simultaneously with the engagement of the die 84 with the slug thathas been moved into position before the die 91, .by means of the shearblade 67 in cooperation with the jump finger 93, and that accordinglythe first forming operation on the slug is performed simultaneously withthe second operation performed on the partly completed article that hasbeen formed between the dies 84 and 91 and moved over in to properposition for operation thereon by the perforating punch 119 by means ofthe transfer cage 110.

In carrying out my improved forging method by means of the apparatusshown in Fig. l, the stock may first be presumed to be in the positionshown in Figs. 2 and ,3, which is the position that the stock would havejust prior to the beginning of a feeding movement by the feed rollers 32and 33 and the rollers paired therewith. In

this position of the parts, the plunger 51 is in proper position for the.end wall 52 thereof to act as an abut-.-

ment limiting the movement of the stock 34 so that the abutment 52 willact as gauging means for the length of "stock that is to be operated onin one seriesof steps ,of 1

In Figs. 4 and 5 the position of the parts is that shown in Fig. 1, inwhich the stock has been moved by the feeding means so that the endthereof is in engagement with the abutment 52 provided by the end faceof the plunger 51, and the jaw 36 still remains spaced from the jaw 35.It will be noted that in Figs. 3 and 5 the jump finger 93 is held inspaced relation, to the stock 34 by means of the stop member 100 withwhich it engages. The stock 34 that is being fed has beenheated to aforging heat prior to entry into the machine, this being accomplished ina well known manner ordinarily as the stock is being fed into themachine where the stock 34 I 'isYin the form of a continuous length thatis fed from a .reeltothe machine. Also it will be noted that afterthefirst piece of stock has been cut off the length thatlis "7 being fedthe end face 123 of the stock that is in engagement with the abutment 52on the plunger 51 is freshly cut and scale free.

The next step in carrying out my method by the machine shown in Fig. lis illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. In this position of the parts theplunger 51 dwells in the position that it had when the stock was firstfed into engagement with the end face thereof. However, instead of themovable gripping jaw 36 being spaced from the stationary gripping jaw 35it has moved into firm gripping relation with respect thereto so as tofirmly grip the stock 34 between the jaws 35 and 36 so that the amountof pressure that has to be exerted endwise on the stock to upset thesame is insulficient to cause any endwise or lengthwise movement of thestock 34 relative to the jaws 35 and 36. Accordingly the stock isgripped at a predetermined distance from the end 123 thereof when theparts are in this position, and a length 124 of said stock, extendingfrom the end 123 thereof a predetermined distance to the gripping jaws35 and 36, will be mounted in a horizontal position between the grippingmeans and the plunger 51, with all of the side surface thereofunconfined, and the portion 124 can thus be referred to as a freeportion to distinguish from the portion thereof that is confined andheld by the gripping jaws 35 and 36.

The next step in my method is shown as being carried out in Figs. 8 and9 of the drawings. The operating means for the plunger has now moved theplunger from its gauging position to its position in which the upsettingaction performed thereby has been completed. During this movement thegripping jaws 35 and 36 remain in firm gripping engagement with thestock 34 and prevent any endwise movement of the stock or of the portion124 thereof in the direction of movement of the plunger 51 as it upsetsthe portion 124, except that movement of the stock that takes place dueto the squeezing or upsetting action that is carried out between theface 52 of the plunger 51 and the opposite faces of the gripping jaws 35and 36. The upsetting action causes a bulging of the length 124 of thestock that protrudes from the jaws 35 and 36 to form an enlargement 125,which is of a definite size, and to crack the scale off the side wallsof the projecting portion 124 as it changes in shape to the biscuitlikeform it has after being upset. When the upsetting action is completed bythe completion of the movement of the plunger 51 to its nearest positionof approach to the gripping jaws 35 and 36 the lateral expansion of thematerial in the length 124 of the stock causes it to engage with thejump finger 93, moving it slightly away from the stock as shown in Fig.9, so that said jump finger will be yieldingly engaging the bulgedportion 125, or biscuit, formed on the end of the stock.

With the plunger 51 still in the position that it had when the upsettingaction thereof was completed, and the gripping jaws still in their stockgripping position, the movable shear blade 67 is moved from the positionthereof shown in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, past the cooperatingstationary shear blade 64 so as to cause the upset or bulged portion 125to be sheared off the end of the stock 34 at the face of the grippingjaw 35 directed toward the plunger 51. In Fig. 10 the position of theparts is that in which the bulged portion on the end of the stock, thathas been formed by upsetting the extending portion thereof thatprojected from the gripping jaws, has been completely separated from thestock 34, forming the slug or biscuit 126. The movable shear blade 67 isnot halted in the position shown in Fig. 10, but moves continuously fromthe position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 13, movingcontinuously to the left from the first position referred to, to thelast position referred to, past the shear blade 64 to shear the upset orbulged portion 125 off the stock 34, and carries the resulting scalefree slug or biscuit 126 into position to be acted on by the cooperatingdie members 84 and 9 1. It will be noted that the plunger 51 remains inengagement with the enlarged portion 125 until after it has beencompletely separated from the stock 34 and is confined between the jumpfinger 93 and the recess in the movable shear blade 67 to be transportedinto the position between the dies 84 and 91.

After the resulting biscuit or slug 126 has cleared the plunger 51, theplunger moves back to it initial position to serve as gauging means forthe next length of stock that is to be fed by the feeding means throughthe gripping jaws, which at that time have separated so as to be in theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 3. After the biscuit or slug 126 has beenmoved to the position shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the punch die 84 is movedtoward the die 91 from the position shown in Fig. 12 to the positionshown in Fig. 14 and during such movement the die 84 moves the jumpfinger out of the way into the position shown in Fig. 15, permitting thedie 84 to move into the position with relation to the die 91 to squeezethe biscuit between said dies into the hexagonal shape desired. Thishexagonal member formed from the biscuit or slug 126 is of a definitepredetermined size because the slug or biscuit is of a definitepredetermined size, having been made from a definite predeterminedlength of material 124, as explained hereinbefore. After the die 84 hasengaged the slug to move it into the recess in the die 91, the movableshear blade 67 starts to move back to its original position, which isthat shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and moves continuously from the positionshown in Fig. 13 to the position shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 15 thismovement has already commenced. After the die member 84 has moved intoits final forming position with respect to the die 91, it is withdrawn,and upon withdrawal of the die 84 and return of the same toward itsoriginal posi tion, the ejector rod 103 moves to eject the formedarticle from the cavity 92 of the die 91, the transfer cage in themeantime, having moved over into position to receive the ejectedhexagonal member and immediately thereafter returns so as to be in aposition in proper alignment with the perforating die 119 to completethe operations on the hexagonal member that has been formed between thedies 84 and 91, it being, of course, understood that the secondhexagonal member is being formed between the dies 84 and 91 as theperforating punch 119 acts on the previously formed hexagonal article.As the dies 84 and 91 are forming the hexagonal member between the same,the movable shear blade 67 is returning to its original position, thatshown in Figs. 2 and 3, and as soon as this movement is completed thefeeding means feeds the end of the stock 34, where it has been shearedoff in the formation of the slug 126, into engagement with the end wall52 of the plunger 51, and the series of operations shown in Figs. 4 to13, inclusive, are repeated to provide a scale free blank or slug, thatis fed into position for the next forming operation of the cooperatingforming dies 84 and 91.

By my improved method of first moving a rod-like member, or rod-likestock, with its end into engagement with an abutment to gauge apredetermined length thereof, gripping the stock at a predetermineddistance from the end thereof to leave a predetermined portion thereofwith its lateral or side wall portion free of any engagement with anyother parts and then upsetting the projecting part while gripping thestock beyond the same, shearing the resulting enlargement or biscuitformation off the end of the stock that remains of its original crosssection, and transferring the resulting slug to forming dies withoutremoval from the shearing dies, a scale free blank is provided foroperation upon by the forming dies and many operations and muchapparatus, that would otherwise be necessary, for removing scale andobtaining a scale free blank is eliminated. While the method andapparatus disclosed and illustrated as being set up for forminghexagonal nuts, other articles, that are to be formed by pressingbetween dies and, in order to obtain a satisfactory product, have to bemade from scale free stock, by a hot forging method, can be made in thissame manner. It is, of course, to be understood that the vari ousoperations carried out in my apparatus in carrying out my method, arecarried out while the stock is in a plastic enough condition to carryout all of the various upsetting and forging operations.

What I claim is:

1. In the method of hot forging articles from rod-like metal stock ofsubstantially uniform cross section heated to a plastic state wherebyscale is formed on said stock, upsetting a predetermined length of afree exposed end portion of said stock while in said heated plasticstate to shorten and thicken said length and thereby crack said scaleoff said length thereof, shearing said entire upset portion of saidstock from the portion thereof that remains uniform in cross section toprovide a scale-free surface on the end of said remaining portion ofsaid stock and a slug having scale-free side and end walls, and dieshaping said slug immediately after shearing the same off said stock.

2. In the method of hot forming an article from rodlike metal stock ofsubstantially uniform cross section heated to a plastic state wherebyscale is formed on said stock, gripping said heated stock at apredetermined distance from one end thereof to provide a free exposedportion of said stock of predetermined length extending from saidgripped portion to said end and a confined gripped portion adjacent saidfree exposed portion, upsetting said free exposed portion throughout itslength, while said stock is in said heated plastic state and whilegripping said stock as aforesaid, to crack scale oif said free exposedportion, shearing said entire upset portion from said stock to provide aslug and die shaping said slug immediately after shearing the same fromsaid stock.

3. In the method of hot forming an article from rodlike metal stock ofsubstantially uniform crOSs section heated to a plastic state wherebyscale is formed on said stock, gripping said heated stock at apredetermined distance from one end thereof to provide a free exposedportion of said stock of predetermined length extending from saidgripped portion to said end and a confined gripped portion adjacent saidfree exposed portion, upsetting said free exposed portion throughout itslength, while said stock is in said heated plastic state and whilegripping said stock as aforesaid, by pressure on said end to ward saidgripped portion to shorten and thicken and crack scale off said freeexposed portion, shearing said 10 entire upset portion from said stockto provide a slug and die shaping said slug immediately after shearingthe same from said stock.

4. In the method of hot forming an article from rodlike metal stock ofsubstantially uniform cross section heated to a plastic state wherebyscale is formed on said stock, moving said heated stock lengthwise toengage an end thereof with an abutment, gripping said heated stock at apredetermined distance from said abutment to provide a free exposedportion of said stock of definite length extending from said grippedportion to said abutment and a confined gripped portion adjacent saidfree exposed portion, upsetting said free exposed portion throughout itslength while said stock is in said heated plastic state and whilegripping said stock as aforesaid to crack scale off said free exposedportion, shearing said upset portion from said stock to provide a slug,and die shaping said slug immediately after shearing the same from saidstock.

5. In the method of hot forming an article from rodlike metal stock ofsubstantially uniform cross section heated to a plastic state wherebyscale is formed on said stock, moving said heated stock lengthwise toengage an end thereof with an abutment, gripping said heated stock at apredetermined distance from said abutment to provide a free exposedportion of said stock of definite length extending from said grippedportion to said abutment and a confined gripped portion adjacent saidfree exposed portion, reducing the distance between said gripped portionand said abutment to upset said free exposed portion throughout itslength while said stock is in said heated plastic state and whilegripping said stock as aforesaid to crack scale off said free exposedportion, shearing said upset portion from said stock to provide a slug,and diet shaping said slug immediately after shearing the same from saidstock.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS801,338 Reid Oct. 10, 1905 819,844 Briede May 8, 1906 1,619,494 WilcoxMar. 1, 1927 1,619,495 Wilcox Mar. 1, 1927 1,929,802 Brauchler Oct. 10,1933 2,036,758 Johnson Apr. 7, 1936 2,358,378 Brenholtz Sept. 19, 19442,698,950 Haandel Jan. 11, 1955

